March 13, 2010

Last Tuesday I took Amelia Claire to be tested for allergies. Since she was about a year old, she started breaking out in eczema. If anyone of you have experienced a fight with this skin condition understands that it's a never ending cycle. My poor girls legs and fingers are constantly red, scaley and sometimes cracky and oozy.

Sorry for the mental picture.

As far as we suspected, it was milk that caused the issue. Since taking her off of milk and restricting a good amount of dairy, her eczema seemed to improve.

But not enough to make us happy..... she's miserable most of the time. She takes Clariton everyday and also has a steroid cream for her spots. It's just not enough and we're beginning to worry about scarring.

So, her allergist suggested that we start her testing with foods. She panicked at the first prick and was ready to L.E.A.V.E the office..... however way she could find! Poor thing.

However, we now know she is HIGHLY ALLERGIC to Cashews and Pistachio Nuts.

(How could something so delicious potentially kill my girl?)

I was sent home with prescriptions for a stronger allergy medicine and a new cream for her fingers and spots.

And an Epi-pen.

I got kinda freaked out. I called her Daddy. He got kinda freaked out.

Darren remembered eating a bowl of pistachio's during Christmas with Amelia in the living room playing. He said it was like having a loaded gun in the same room with her. He's right. There was a little guy whose Daddy gave him a taste of one last year in a city next to ours.... they couldn't get him to the ER in time.

My heart sank after the Dr. told me that.

So, naturally I head to my lap-top and type in Tree Nut allergy and Cashews/Pistachio allergy. Come to find out, Cashews and Pistachio's are in the same family of nuts which kinda explains why the pecan and walnuts and etc.... didn't seem to cause a problem.

I guess these two nuts are related to the mango tree as well as poison ivy. So, we've decided to do our best to keep her away from these things as well..... even though.

I took the paper with the information on it to the school the next morning and talked to her teacher and the school nurse. The nurse was so fantastic and took this VERY seriously. Every tacher that comes in contact with Amelia Claire will have training on how to use her epi-pen. She was really helpful in making me feel better. However, while I waited on her .......... the secretary was like:

"Oh, for the twenty years I've worked here, we've never had cashews or pistachio's. So I wouldn't worry about it too much."

Ummmm.......... ? Have you lost your mind lady? These may not be as common as peanuts but you never know when someone will send a special cookie to school with their kid who in turn wants to share. She can't even have a cookie with the nuts picked out or even kissed on the lips by someone who has eaten them. Moron.

It only takes one time..... and she may be gone from us forever.

It's haunting..... truly haunting.

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Now that it's Saturday, I'm feeling a bit better. I've gone through the cupboards and rid our house of anything that is listed as Tree Nuts or Cashews/Pistachio's. (Cashews were even listed in my Strawberry Crystal Light made by Wal-Mart! Crazy.) I've also been shopping around for a Medic-Alert bracelet for her. They've actually got some pretty cute one's out there. I'm thinking about this one:

I think it's sweet and I'm sure she won't mind wearing it everyday.

In the meantime.... I plan to make a cute little carrying case for her pen as I saw on SouleMama's blog a while back. I've also seen some other really cute handmade epi-pen carrier type thingies that will work for us. I have to carry it and a bottle of Benadryl everywhere we go now so why not make it fun for her and me?

I'll post on that soon.... it's a project I can do this weekend.

On another note, I have Spring Break this week! Thank Goodness.... I'm so relieved that I don't have to drive four nights a week and leave my family. Tuesday, I'll be taking Amelia Claire back to the Allergist for pollen testing. Wednesday, I'll be taking my Mom to Daytona Beach to see Jeff Dunham live. Between these two days I'm going to try and get a new little shop set up on my blog for the summer. I've had several requests for dresses and since I won't have school.... I'll have time. I'm looking forward to it too!

March 06, 2010

I received my copy of this FABULOUS book which is full of patchwork/crafty goodness.

And I mean it.

First of all, I adore the author/designer.... Rashida! She has a talent for streaming her sweet, dear personality into words like no other. (I'll tell you a little story towards the end of this blog entry that will confirm my opinion of Rashida!) I found her blog accidentally one day.... as most of us do I suppose, and look sooo forward to her blog updates as well as her shop updates!

What attracted me to her style was her use of colors & patterns. She makes colors and prints blend.... even when they shouldn't. Now, that's talent!

Just look at the goodness! She incorporates linen into each project which connects each project to the other and keeps the "gooey-ness" down. Know what I mean? It's as if the linen grounds the idea and keeps it legitimate. I don't know how else to describe it.

I just know that I like it... alot!

For Christmas I planned to make sewing machine covers for my Mom and two sisters from her book.... until I received an email saying I wouldn't get the book it in time for Christmas! What's a gal to do?

I'll tell you what.... Rashida came to my rescue! Yup, she did. After hearing about my predicament, she went and scanned the directions for the sewing machine covers from her copy, and emailed them to me. Sigh. Isn't that just the best?

So, I took myself out to my studio and started pulling colors and patterns, channeling Rashida as I did. I made the first cover in no time flat..... naturally, I didn't have what I needed on hand so had to make a few small changes. Regardless of the changes, I adore how they came out.

The first cover I made was for my oldest sister Jerri-Lynn. I made hers with greens, oranges and linen, her two favorite colors. I wish I could find the picture I took of it so you can see.... I love the way it turned out!

Then I made Debi's.

Debi loves Yellow and other bright, fun colors like pink and turquoise. I looked through my stash and pulled everything I thought she'd love and poof.... had it sewn in no time. She loved it enough to design her new sewing room around the colors. Very cool.

I have yet to make my Mom's or mine but will very soon. I plan on doing them as the book prescribes since I have more time now. (I do live an hour away from the nearest craft store, after all.)

Then I'll be off to making each of us a nifty little pincushion too... that's my next favorite!

Thank you Rashida.... you're a good kind of gal!

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*My bloggy friend Rashida has a new little baby to love as of a week ago. Sadly, he is still in the hospital due to some complications... any little prayer or good thought will go a long way for baby Matthew.... thanks!

March 02, 2010

Last year Darren and I took Amelia Claire and Avonlea to Disney World.... it was magical! Amelia loved every second of the visit. On her "must do" list was meeting Ariel, riding the Carusel and eating supper in Cinderella's castle!

So, when the "Give a Day-Get a Day" program from Disney was announced.... I signed us up! There are TONS and TONS of charities to choose from but since we had such little ones that need to tag-along with us or take part.... we could do one from home.

I chose to make Linus blankets.... it was a perfect fit for us! Amelia Claire helped pick out the blankets, made the cards to give to the child that receives the blanket and also posed for pictures! (Avonlea helped too!)

The guidelines were easy to follow. We have to send one blanket per person.... in our case it's two... one for Darren and one for me. We have to include photo's of the blanket being made to show that our family took part in the construction.

It was a nice little family project.....

I enjoyed making them with the girls and talking to Amelia Claire about who is going to get them and why. We may just have to make this a monthly project for us!

*Just in case you're wondering ..... my boys are volunteering with their Dad.*

March 01, 2010

March has become my favorite month of the year. The birds are returning as are the squirrels. Sprouts of green grass and buds from the Dogwood trees are popping up too. All sure signs that spring is just 19 days away.....

HOoray!

Since Spring is a season of new beginnings.... fresh starts and stuff like that..... I've decided a few things....

I've decided to take a break from Etsy..... a decision that still makes me happy. Since starting school last year, I just can't seem to organize my time. I began dreading my sewing room and getting orders sent out later than appropriate. I've had one full week of no orders and I can't explain to you how nice it feels to know I don't have another deadline to hit. PHEW!

I've decided to eat less and move more. Nothing crazy or anything.... just subtle changes that I hope will make me feel livelier and healthier. (I can't lie in bed one more night praying that my husband won't grap a chunk of blubber fat when he puts his arm around me to snuggle. You know?) I've lightened up on the Dr. Pepper and have cut out so much snacking. I'm also walking from the furthest parking spot at school four nights a week. I'm hoping that one day I won't need a crash cart once I make it to class upstairs!!

I've decided that I will begin working on making my house a home I'm proud to own. For the last three years or so..... my house has been sorta blah. That's all.... just blah. I sew all the time yet, there is not one single item in my Living Room/Dining Room that I made. See, just blah. SO.... I've decided to take the plunge with this DIY:

Oh yeah Babe..... that's right.... a big ole green mural of birds on tree thingies to hang over something in my living room. I'm thinking my Entertainment Center thing. I saw this on Courtney's blog and read where her sister-in-law Lisa made it for her using an old picture she inherited when C-Jane and Chup bought their house. I even found a frame on Saturday that I plan to use! I think that instead of using wallpaper for the branches... I'll use fabric. Whatever I decide.... it's going to be so much fun and I'll be sure to post about the process here!

I've also decided to get back to doing things that make me happy. My blog is one of them. It's three years old and I ignore it more than my laundry. I want to begin sewing for my kids, my house and myself........ and blogging about it like I used to. I want to add more to my Fickr and improve my camera skillz. I want to sit back and enjoy my last year and a half with my boy Cole.... sniff, sniff.... while he's at home and not off living a life somewhere without his Mama around everyday. Sniff, sniff.

Basically Ya'll..... I'm being who I want to be. I think there may be a link between doing what makes me happy and actually being happy. It's a concept....

Stay tuned.... I'm not sure what I'll blog about tomorrow but it will be something. Even if it's nothing.